Return on Investment
by Sir Arghs III
Summary: If Noll had not considered his former mentor's advice, he would not need to deal with this… situation. Unfortunately, what was done was done, and the seeds had long been planted. It was now time to reap what he had sown. A sequel to Return to Sender. Post-canon.
1. 11 October

**11 October**

The first thing Oliver Davis sees in his office is the stack of books on his desk. The books look familiar but unnatural, as he is sure they were not there when he left yesterday. He closes his door and approaches the stack. It is topped by a thick English book. Recognition niggles at the back of his mind.

He knows this book.

Just as recognition hits him, his door opens.

"'Morning, Noll!" He turns to see Madoka entering his office with someone in tow. "Have you met my friend?" she queries in a cheerful, smug manner, as she always does when she is terribly amused.

Noll narrows his eyes.

Taking Madoka's question as a signal, his former mentor's friend steps out from behind her. And just like that, he comes face to face with a smiling Mai Taniyama.

"How do you do, Dr. Davis?"

From the moment his former part-timer greeted him, Noll knows that he had somehow miscalculated.

Exactly what?

Mai's intelligence? Her capability to navigate in an English-speaking country? The sincerity of her last email? Her hatred of him?

As of yet, he is not sure, but he is sure to find out, should he so choose to think about it.

For now, he greets Mai just as formally. He gives her his business smile. "I am well, thank you. And you, Miss…?" Standing beside Mai, Madoka frowns disapprovingly at him. Just as she opens her mouth to speak, Mai approaches and—

Slaps him.

"Taniyama. Mai Taniyama. I feel great now, thanks to you."

He barely registers her words and Madoka's gaping face as the sudden physical contact induces a psychometric vision. Since the source is alive and he is still aware of his own consciousness, the vision comes to him in moving frames, like watching a movie and skipping from scene to scene.

 _Mai glares at her inbox with undeniable frustration. She refreshes the page several times until she sighs and closes the lid of her laptop._

 _Mai sits at her small dining table, perusing the piles of books and notes before her._

 _Mai leans forward and starts crying over her handouts. "This is impossible. I can't do it."_

 _Mai paces her kitchen, reading aloud from the book in her right hand and occasionally sipping from the mug of tea in her left._

"I… should probably leave you two alone…" Noll vaguely hears Madoka say.

 _Mai discusses with her professor as they go through the set of documents he handed her._

"No. I'm done here, Mori-san. I'll leave with you."

 _Mai presents her passport and boarding pass to a flight attendant before walking into the boarding gate._

Noll blinks at the sound of his shutting door. He finally separates himself from the vision only to realize that he is alone.

For the rest of the day, the events of that morning linger at the back of his mind. He strongly feels that his still unknown miscalculation portends a great disturbance in his conveniently planned life, and he must do all that he can to find out what it is and fix it.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I'm back! :3 Here's the first chapter of _Return on Investment_. It's gonna be quite the _slow_ burn—I'm really no good when it comes to romance. (I do try though! XD) I'm breaking my SOP (publishing complete fics) because I wanted to convince myself to continue this, for the readers who waited for this sequel. I know it's not the WWE kind of smackdown some of you have been waiting for, but please tell me what you think anyway! Thanks!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	2. 12 October

**12 October**

"Madoka—"

"Sorry, Noll, I'm in a hurry. See you later!"

Noll glares at Madoka's rather quickly retreating back. It is apparent that she has been avoiding him since yesterday. He glances at his watch: 5:33 PM. The day is almost over; how much longer will she keep her farce up?

He recalls the direction his former mentor is heading. That hallway leads to Conference Room 2. Conference Room 2… If his memory serves right (and it always does), Dr. Hinnells briefly talked to Martin about it when he passed them by during lunchtime, mentioning others like Dr. Irving and Dr. Watson. All of them are alumni or current professors of Cambridge. They must be discussing the status of the parapsychology course in the university.

Given that Madoka and Martin are included, the meeting would most likely take around three hours. But as Dr. Hinnells is there, too, the two's segues will be reduced by a third. They should be done in two hours, then, if their discussion goes well.

That is more than enough time for Noll to finish up with his work or any requirements in his Master's program that he may have put off for more urgent matters and wait for Madoka in her office.

* * *

Madoka Mori sighs in satisfaction. The meeting didn't last as long as she expected. It's all thanks to Dr. Hinnells' initiative to facilitate it that the meeting only took a little over two hours. With the early dismissal, everyone left in a good mood. Martin even offered his house for dinner, and she would've accepted had she forgotten what happened yesterday.

Her mood sours with guilt. The poor, clueless boy, slapped out of the blue (and totally out of context) by his favorite assistant. To be fair, Madoka didn't expect Mai-chan to treat Noll with violence. If anything, Mai-chan seemed so excited to see her former boss that Madoka offered to bring her to Noll's office right away.

Why that reaction, then?

Madoka analyzes the event as she walks. Ever since Madoka suggested that Noll send Mai-chan some books to help her prepare for college, he has conscientiously sent a package for all of her birthdays. Then they must've kept in touch all these years. After all, Madoka and Mai-chan are regularly exchanging emails—No, wait. She stops walking as she ponders further. If Noll and Mai-chan are updated with each other, Mai-chan wouldn't ask about Noll in most of her emails. And she wouldn't address him so coldly—and vice versa, now that she thinks about it.

Could it be?

She rests a hand on her forehead. _That's definitely what happened._ Noll definitely cut all ties with Mai, all the while sending her a gift on her every birthday. He's not such a poor, clueless boy now.

Madoka hurries to her office. She'll have to take Martin's offer, after all, so she can talk with her former student. She opens her door to find Noll reading on the couch before her desk.

"Oh, speak of the devil," she says.

He looks up at her. "Devil? I am but human. Sorry to disappoint."

"Must you always be so sarcastic?" She puts her hands on her hips. "It seems like I haven't taught you enough."

"You have. I simply selected which ones to retain in my memory."

"Mind your manners, Noll."

"I am not a child anymore."

She smiles sweetly. "So don't act like one."

Noll glares at her, but she keeps her expression.

"—Why is she here?"

"Why is who here?"

"Mai."

"Hmm… so you didn't cut ties because of a fight, given that you haven't removed her existence from your life."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was wondering why you stopped communicating with her."

"I merely found no reason to maintain contact."

"And yet you sent her something on her birthday."

"You were the one who insisted I do it."

"Noll, I suggested it for her _eighteenth_ birthday, not _all_ of her birthdays."

He looks away.

"So," she presses on, "Why do you do it?" His response is to stand up and walk to the door. She blocks his escape. "I won't let you leave without answering."

He stands to his full height, towering over her. She remains unfazed. "I can use force."

"No, you can't."

"Try me."

"I try you."

They maintain eye contact until Noll finally sighs and crosses his arms.

"For an idiot like her, a brighter future for a gift is better than a single set of books."

 _Aww!_

The little boy who used to categorize people as forgettable, stupid pumpkins and must-not-forget, not-so-stupid non-pumpkins is starting to grow up.

Madoka could almost cry.

But Noll ruins the moment. "Now tell me what Mai is doing here."

She beams at him. "If I told you, you two will have nothing to talk about when you meet again." She feels a small drop in her office's temperature. Knowing that this is Noll's version of a tantrum, she laughs and pats him on the shoulder. "Trust me; I'm doing you a favor."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** As always, thanks for reading/faving/following/reviewing! I'm down to my final examinations as a first year medical student, so things are still a bit hectic until the school year finishes next week. But once our vacations start I'll be able to concentrate on writing this fic. Please bear with me! DX The details about SPR and Cambridge are, of course, fictional. I've tried to research as much as I could, but I can only find so much info. If there are more accurate names/terms for the ones I'm using, please do tell me! :) Thanks!

Noll's classification of people (pumpkins and not pumpkins) is discussed more in the entry 'Bits of not much' in Kage Dreams' LiveJournal under the tag 'gh snippet'.

To _End-Theory-Confirmed_ and _Seth Vincent_ : Thanks so much for your patience! I hope you'll stay with Noll until he—

To _darkgenius2003_ : Here you go! :D

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	3. 6 November

**6 November**

"Noll?" Luella calls out as Noll is closing the front door behind him. She emerges from the living room. "You're just in time. Come have a cuppa."

He acquiesces.

"How are your classes?" she asks as she pours him a cup of tea.

Noll considers his reply as he accepts the cup. Since there is not much else to say about his studies other than he wants to finish as soon as possible, he settles with "Fine." and takes a sip of his tea. The flavor spreads, and he is struck with the memory of his office in Shibuya, bathed in the faded orange of the afternoon sun. He could practically hear the muffled chatter and laughter that used to filter through his office door. He exhales. _What a nostalgic taste._

"That's good to hear!" Luella continues with delight, pulling him back to the present. "I was worried we'd disturb you in your studies."

 _'We'?_ Pieces of information begin to click in his mind. If he is right… He looks at his mother in expectation.

"My, I haven't told you, have I? Silly me!" she laughs lightly. "I brought over some guests. They're just fetching the biscuits from the oven." She straightens in her seat to look over his shoulder. "Ah, here they are."

He turns in his seat.

"Oh, you're here already?" Madoka asks as she enters the living room. "I thought you'd drop by HQ and come home with Martin."

"He said he'd be a bit late," Luella answers for him. She looks around. "Where's Mai?"

 _So she really is here._

Madoka looks behind her then walks back out. She stops just outside the door and returns, dragging Mai into the room.

Noll blinks at the déjà vu. The only difference between now and their previous encounter a few weeks ago is that Mai is holding a tray of biscuits with her head bowed. The smiling, confidently violent Mai is all but gone.

"I brought the biscuits," she mutters somewhat ashamedly, setting the tray on the table.

Luella reassures her with a smile. "Thank you, dear. Please, sit down."

Noll watches Mai consider the free seats. There are two three-seater sofas and two single-seater armchairs surrounding the living room table. Luella sits on one sofa, while he sits on the other, across from her. Since Madoka has settled herself beside Luella, Mai is left with four logical choices (because choosing to share the sofa with the two other women despite the abundance of seats is blatant rudeness): the two armchairs opposite each other or the two seats at his sides. Mai shoots a deploring look at the armchairs before she dejectedly shares his sofa, sitting as far away from him as she could.

Luella opens the conversation. "How are you finding London, Mai?"

"London is… a bit gloomy."

Luella and Madoka chuckle at the honest answer.

"'A bit gloomy' is an understatement," Madoka says. "London's a dreary place."

"B-But it's beautiful!" Mai defends.

Luella smiles at her response. "If you find it beautiful, I'm sure the rest of the country will astound you. I hope you'll see them during your stay."

Shyly smiling back, Mai tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

Without being distracted by an unwelcome vision like last time, he is able to properly observe Mai. Her hair now falls past her shoulders, and Noll must admit that it suits her features, which are more defined and feminine than when she was in high school. She seems to have grown a few inches taller, too, and he can see that there is sureness and confidence in the way she carries herself. It is a strange feeling, juxtaposing the unknown Mai before his eyes with the Mai he had all figured out five years ago.

The slight lull in the women's conversation recalls him from his thoughts. Luella and Madoka have proceeded to talk to each other, leaving Mai without anyone but him to converse with. They both stay silent until Mai could no longer bear not talking. It actually takes just over a minute.

She fakes a cough. "So. You're still studying? Graduate? Post-graduate?"

"—Graduate," he answers after a short pause. "I obtained my second undergraduate degree last year."

"And I suppose you're about to finish your Master's soon?"

"If my adviser permits it, I should finish this term. Otherwise, I finish on second term."

"I see…" With her noncommittal reply, their conversation peters out, and a long moment of silence passes.

"You never told me why you are here," Noll finally initiates, setting his teacup down.

"I… Mori-san and I bumped into your mother outside the restaurant we ate at. She invited us here. I'm sorry—I tried to decline, but—"

"That is not what I meant. What are you doing here in England?" He smiles cynically. "Surely you did not fly from Japan just to slap me?"

"Ahh, I forgot how narcissistic you tend to be," she returns with a saccharine smile. "No. I'm studying here. It's a one-year program."

"Where?"

Before Mai could answer, Luella calls her attention. "Mai, won't you stay for dinner? Martin should be arriving soon."

She shakes her head and hands frantically. "Oh, no, Mrs. Davis, I—"

"Just Luella, please." Luella says warmly. "And I insist."

Mai glances at him before sighing and accepting the invitation with a small smile.

It is the first genuine smile Noll has seen on her face in a long time.

He never hears the answer to his question; Martin opens the front door just as Luella predicted, deep in a debate with a few colleagues from SPR. As the debate reaches its peak, the new arrivals ask for Noll's opinion and, after Madoka's masterfully timed introduction of Mai, Mai's opinion as well. Mai mentions that she can only base her insight on her experience, and the discussion shifts its focus to Mai's latent psychic powers, with everyone talking about the relationship between psychic potential and paranormal phenomena all throughout dinner.

Noll crosses his arms. He could not help thinking of the group of men as little excited boys with so much enthusiasm and not enough attention span. But by the way Mai participated in the discussion with such eagerness, it is evident that her interest in paranormal and unexplained phenomena has not waned, and Noll finds himself smiling slightly at that fact.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** I'm finally free for about a month! :3 And as such, I'll be able to update a little more frequently. Anyway, Mai and Naru's second encounter after five years! "Surely you did not fly from Japan just to slap me?" We all know Mai did. Of course she did. XD Next chapter this weekend!

To _Nollypoo_ : Thank you! And I agree; as smart as he is, Naru can be so dumb sometimes. =.= OMG a med AU, yes! Mai could be a resident internist with abnormally strong intuition, most of the time having diagnoses that at first glance aren't related to the patient's signs and symptoms but are correct. Naru will probably be a radiologist (because of the relatively low rate of meeting patients in person), always pissed at all the seemingly random confirmatory imaging scans that this Dr. Taniyama from Internal Medicine keeps requesting but always begrudgingly amazed that she's right. And then in comes a patient with a complicated case, and they will have to work together closely to monitor and heal this patient. *u*

To _darkgenius2003_ : Thanks as usual for your review! I forgot to mention last time, but I've seen your reviews of my other fics, too, and I'm so happy you liked them! :)

To _Glass Dragon's Rose_ : Thanks for reviewing! Indeed, Madoka is one formidable woman. No wonder Noll can't just win against her. XD

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	4. 27 November

**Author's Note:** I'M SO SORRY! orz I have no excuses. Instead, I offer you two things: the fruits of Mai's four-year labor (AKA smart Mai) and a romance flag (finally). If you choose to stay with _ROI_ despite my sucky scheduling, I'll love you forever!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.

* * *

 **27 November**

Sometimes, Noll wonders if he is being a pushover.

How in the world could he let himself get talked into this?

It does not matter that the request came from an elderly colleague in SPR; does not matter that she had once donated a tracking camera to his laboratory; does not matter that she had been helping him and Gene since they first joined SPR _._ He _despises_ talking in front of people who, one, are probably going to pay more attention on his appearance than what he is talking about; two, are most probably pumpki—stupid; and three, would not benefit him or his research in any way.

But the elderly lady had once said, _"I would love to see you give a lecture even once before I kick the bucket. Hohoho…"_ right before having a long, alarming coughing fit. He was given no room to decline.

Noll sighs as his colleague begins to introduce him. He is, without a doubt, being a pushover.

It is only recently that he began making public appearances in events not hosted by his laboratory's sponsors. Up until a year ago, Sir Dorey, the former head of SPR, has acted as his proxy in research symposia and academic gatherings. The original reason for this was his age: since Noll was only around fifteen when his first paper was published, the SPR head found it reasonable to represent him in front of prideful adults who would otherwise disregard a child's words. A second likely reason is that Sir Dorey wanted to safeguard the person who single-handedly revolutionized research in SPR—and therefore the future of SPR itself—as much as possible.

If Noll had been told directly instead of coming to that conclusion himself, he would have scoffed at the man in disgust. He is no one special; he just has an unquenchable desire to make sense of the unexplainable. That, and a highly functional brain. But as this arrangement spared him from wasting time on unnecessary pleasantries and let him focus on research, he allowed Sir Dorey the peace of mind and himself the convenience. Now that the man is dead, though, and Noll is already of respectable age, their colleagues see no reason to let him stay out of the limelight any longer than he has. Which brings him here.

Already feeling fed up with just the audience's applause, he walks to the podium.

* * *

Despite his earlier prejudice against the audience, it seems that a handful of students actually listened, and he is inclined to answer some of their more insightful questions at length.

"We have time for one last question. Is there anyone who—oh, yes, over there." As his colleague wraps up the question-and-answer part of his lecture, someone sitting near the back of the hall raises a hand. He is surprised to see Mai stand up.

No wonder Luella and Madoka were asking his former part-timer about London; that is where she is studying. The psychometric vision from seven weeks ago comes to mind. _UCL, huh? Good job._

Once Mai reaches the microphone, she opens her notebook and trains her eyes on it. She clears her throat. "Good afternoon, Dr. Davis. I'm Mai Taniyama. Your lecture was thorough and very straightforward. You covered all of the recent findings that explain why people get hallucinations of spirits and feelings of presences, and your talk practically shattered all misconceptions about spiritual encounters. But throughout the lecture I kept feeling like something is off until I realized that you structured your lecture in a way that excludes explanations for true encounters."

Noll raises his eyebrows, surprised once more. He had indeed structured his lecture that way and has been waiting for someone to catch on, but for that someone to be Mai takes him aback. The Mai from five years ago would have felt that something is lacking through her intuition but would not be able to point out what or why she felt that way. This Mai, however, was able to notice _and_ explain concisely how she came to her conclusion. How else has she changed? Noll decides to hold a few tests.

First, he sends out a challenge. "Oh? What makes you think that, Miss Taniyama?"

She accepts. "It's been proven that true spiritual encounters can also be attributed to very similar processes that cause hallucinations and feelings of presences, which is why—"

"Please support your claim." He then tries to intimidate. At his severe tone, a hush falls over the hall.

Mai hesitates, and for a moment he thinks she would yield. But after flipping through her notebook she continues to expound her claim. "In the past few years, Dr. Hinnells and his colleagues have discovered increasing scientific evidence and explanations for real spiritual experiences. They reported in their latest paper that certain altered states of consciousness allowed their test subjects to perceive a spirit, and an independent group of researchers was able to replicate the experiment with similar results." She finishes with an excited smile that disappears when she meets his gaze. "Of-Of course I'm not saying that your lecture is wanting, Dr. Davis! I just… wanted to know why you didn't mention true spiritual encounters…"

He tests her stubbornness next. "You are interested in parapsychology, I presume?"

She looks away. "It's dangerous for a… renowned scientist such as you to presume things, sir."

"But I am correct to presume as such?" he pushes.

"…Yes," she admits begrudgingly.

The corners of his lips quirk up into a small, amused smile. He is impressed with her ability to calmly stand her ground in a discourse. But the fact that she has not grown out of her stubbornness impresses him more. "Then it will please you to know that Dr. Hinnells and I have just finished a book on that very topic, for which he will give a lecture following its publication early next year. The scope of the topic will need two full hours to cover so I left that one to him—" A short wave of laughter comes from the audience. "—and focused instead on debunking widely known misconceptions on alleged spiritual encounters." A small bell rings, and his elderly colleague raises her hand to signal the end of his lecture time.

Mai visibly deflates at this, as if she regrets running out of time. Her disappointment confuses him. _Why are you reacting like that when "you can schedule an appointment with me in SPR's Pratt Laboratory for the rest of your questions?"_ Noll freezes as the weight of the microphone and, apparently, his words sink in. Mai's widened eyes and parted lips confirm that he has unwittingly vocalized his thoughts.

"Thank you, Doctor. As Dr. Davis had said, there will be a related lecture for those interested…"

They stay rooted to their spots as all around them everyone gathers their things in a flurry of movement. The uncomfortable feeling of having miscalculated returns to him with a vengeance: it rushes to the forefront of his mind and firmly settles there, and he is certain that it will not abate this time until he fathoms it.

"…Again, please give a round of applause for Dr. Oliver Davis."

Noll extracts his gaze from Mai's to nod at the applauding audience, then heads straight for the exit after bidding his colleague a brisk goodbye. He had come into the lecture hall armed with all the answers, but he leaves it now with nothing but two questions.

What had he miscalculated?

And why was Mai blushing?

* * *

 **28 November**

In light of the educational but disastrous lecture yesterday, Mai Taniyama became an instant celebrity, known to the whole Division of Psychology and Language Sciences as the woman who got invited to SPR by the gorgeous Dr. Davis.

"How did you do it?" and "Did he give you his number?" ask many of her classmates. A curt "I read and studied." and a snappier "No." are her only answers.

When another girl—this time a freshman—approaches her group of friends during lunchtime, she groans, lays her forearms on the table, and drops her head. "I wish I hadn't raised my hand."

One of her friends chuckles beside her. "You were so adamant on staying under his radar for some reason, but you just couldn't stop yourself from asking a question once it's stuck in your head, could you?" Her friend shakes their head dramatically. "You and your brilliant mind."

Mai raises her head and narrows her eyes at them. "…I don't know if you're being serious or sarcastic."

"What do you think?"

"I think I don't want to think anymore."

"I heard you used to be like that. You miss being stupid?"

Cries of amazement and chants of "Mai just got roasted! RIP!" erupt. Seeing her friends' teasing grins, Mai can only slam her head onto her forearms again in surrender. She closes her eyes.

She does feel stupid.

She's been avoiding Naru this whole time because she was sure that he's mad at her. After all, who wouldn't be, when the first thing someone does to you after five years is slap you out of nowhere? While she feels a little guilty, she plans to keep her promise to herself on her twenty-first birthday: go to the United Kingdom, slap Naru, and never _ever_ apologize for it. She's listed to herself the possible consequences of her actions, from Naru's wrath, to a temporary restraining order, to being blasted by his PK, to getting deported back to Japan for assault. That's why she makes sure to stay out of his life now that she'd done what she came here to do.

Their interactions so far, however, have been nothing but civil, rendering her at a loss on how to act around him when they do cross paths. And as usual when it comes to Naru, all she's left with are questions. Why isn't he mad? Does he think he deserves it, or does he just not care? How would she feel for either answer? Why did he act like they don't know each other only to publicly invite her to meet with him? If he's not mad, then what does he feel toward her?

 _"You can schedule an appointment with me in SPR's Pratt Laboratory for the rest of your questions."_

She feels her face heat up as all kinds of implications run through her mind, and she's glad that her arms obscure her face.

Naru hasn't changed at all, still an idiot scientist and still dragging her into dangerous, uncomfortable situations just like before.

But she's realizing that she, too, hasn't changed at all, still doing idiotic things she'll regret and still unable to resist being affected by him even after all these years.


	5. 30 November

**30 November**

As soon as Eugene Davis emerges from his sleeping state, he senses his brother's unease. He sends a worried question through their hotline.

 _'Noll. What's wrong?'_

Noll glances at Gene before returning his gaze to his computer screen. _'I cannot figure out why Mai's presence here bothers me.'_

 _'Well, why do you think she's here in the first place?'_

 _'To slap me,'_ Noll says plainly, matter-of-factly.

 _Pfft._

No. He mustn't laugh. Gene forces his face and consciousness to stay neutral. _'Come on, that can't be it. Your logic must've missed something.'_ This earns him a glare. When Noll maxes out the annoyance that's transmitted through their link, Gene knows he's wounded his brother's pride.

 _'To qualify for a scholarship in a foreign university Mai must have had competitively high grades. UCL has one of the highest grade requirements in accepting students from its partner schools, in addition to requiring fluency in English. That means that Mai could have chosen any other partner university that offers a psychology program. So why else would she go here? Why would she even study abroad on her senior year at the risk of being delayed by a semester or two when she returns to her own university?'_

Gene, of course, has an inkling as to why Mai would choose to study in England. But he resolves to help his brother reach the same conclusion. _'For parapsychology?'_

 _'She is taking_ psychology _classes, not parapsychology.'_

 _'What about research or future prospects? SPR is here.'_

 _'There are more established parapsychology graduate programs in America. ASPR is there, too.'_

 _'Maybe she wanted to see the royal children? Or the Big Ben?'_ he supplies rather dumbly. He shrugs when Noll gives him a withering look.

 _'I hardly think she has the time to sightsee when she has grades and a scholarship to maintain.'_

 _'Then she must've wanted to see you,'_ he points out at last, since his brother can't seem to follow.

Noll angles the laptop so that Gene can see the screen displaying Mai's emails, clearly reminding him of their content:

 _ **Taniyama Mai [taniyamai(a)mail-yahoo-co-jp]**_

 _Please greet Gene for me. I won't greet you because_ I hate you.

 _ **Taniyama Mai [taniyamai(a)mail-yahoo-co-jp]**_

 _I hate you._

 _'In case you forgot, she hates me.'_

It takes Gene all his might not to roll his eyes. Does his genius brother stupidly believe that? _'First of all, Mai isn't someone who holds grudges—'_

 _'She has called me "Naru the narcissist" for as long as we have known each other.'_

 _'Okay, fine,'_ he concedes and chooses a different angle of attack. Or defense. He's defending Mai, after all. ' _But do you think she could just decide to do something so drastic—?'_ In combination with Noll's dry expression, he recalls all the times Mai recklessly ran off to do what she felt was right. Maybe _another_ angle. ' _But Mai can't have done all of this only to slap you, can she? She couldn't have sacrificed so much of her time and effort and—'_ He cuts himself off and rebuts his own argument: _'Yeah, she could. Of course she could.'_ Gene shakes his head, his smile wry. _'She's still the same in that regard.'_

 _'Exactly. Hence my concern.'_

A bout of drowsiness causes Gene to yawn, and he knows that his time is up. Noll turns to him, understanding. _'Good night, Noll.'_ He waits for his brother's nod before letting sleep take over. A thought occurs to him at his last moment of wakefulness.

 _What if...?_

Then everything makes sense.

 _Oh Noll._

 _You idiot._

* * *

Noll waits for Gene's reflection to fade before readjusting his laptop and staring at its screen. Even his brother's generous defense of Mai cannot refute Noll's reasoning, and he is now sure that his conclusion is sound.

The question remains, however.

He organizes the information at his current disposal.

The feeling of miscalculation first set in upon his reunion with Mai. It recurs whenever they chance upon each other. It is highly probable that this condition is connected, if not attributable, to her.

Mai's communication with him ended with her last email more than a year ago. Seven weeks prior she appeared in his office. Taking his vision into account, it is evident that she spent an entire academic year studying hard in order to qualify to study abroad. She chose UCL; it must have been the only partner university in England accepting foreign students from her degree program.

The Pratt Laboratory is at least an hour and a half away from London. Spending time and money to visit the Laboratory must have been to see Madoka and the building itself. However, choosing to seek him out for the sole purpose of slapping him was an absolute act of pettiness, one that he reckons she recklessly began planning following her final profession of hate. And yet, he can only interpret her body language in their subsequent meetings as either guilty or afraid of his retribution.

And yet, she conscientiously pored over every reference book he sent her and even had the mind to return them, per his orders. And yet, she remained passionate about parapsychology, going so far as to stay updated with the latest advancements in the field long after the Japanese branch has closed. And yet, she blushed at a simple offer to answer the rest of her questions. And yet, she has yet to take up that offer.

Noll reloads his inbox. No emailed questions from her, either. His brows furrow. Mai keeps contradicting herself. _Has she always been like this?_ No; the Mai in his memories was just as reckless, yes, but more straightforward and honest—altogether easier for him to read. The Mai now just confuses him.

He crosses his arms and leans back in his computer chair.

Perhaps this discrepancy is the source of his feeling of miscalculation. His brain must be updating what it knows of Mai, and her contradictory actions are making it difficult to finish recalibrating, thus exacerbating his unease. If this is the case, then the solution is to gather more data on his former part-timer through more interactions.

But her words, motive for studying in England of all places, and commitment to drive her message home prove that she truly hates him. It is just as possible that her unexpected animosity towards him for the reference books he sent her is causing him to regret having sent anything at all. In this case, his unease will resolve spontaneously if he limits the odds of running into Mai so he cannot aggravate her and be aggravated in return.

Which one is it, then?

Noll glares at the laptop screen, somewhat demanding an answer, but it merely glares back with an empty inbox. He sighs in resignation. Acquiring an advanced understanding of the human brain and its processes has done little to help him understand the intricacies of human nature. Still, he cannot help thinking that this is for the best. His analytical mind has no space, time, or interest for concepts capable of escaping the confines of reason. The moment he begins to comprehend those intricacies will be the moment his mind starts decreasing in efficiency. And if this miscalculation threatening his peaceful life of research is related to human nature—Mai's in particular—then Noll sees only one viable way to fix this.

He must eliminate the threat before any damage is done. That means cutting Mai off from his life for good.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Website links are still prohibited on FFN, so the symbols for the emails remain as in RTS: (a) substitutes the at sign, and - is supposed to be the period.

Again, I'm so sorry for the late update! TTnTT I thought it'd be nice to synchronize the fic's timeline with the real world, so I delayed (writing and) posting this chapter. Add in school, my lowest point this 2018 (not that I'm challenging the universe to beat that record, pls no), and a potent distraction in the form of another GH WIP. Thank you so, so much for your patience and for even giving ROI your time. :) Special thanks to those who reviewed, too! Your words spur me to continue writing whenever my doubts overwhelm me.

To _Leanne5582_ : You hold the record for longest review ever (and of course, the record for making me smile the longest while reading a review)! I feel your energy and feels all the way here. *u* Thank you!

To _WildKat25ShadowWolf13_ , _Emina105_ , _Sagecycle_ , _Seth Vincent_ , and anonymous reviewer _anon_ : Thanks for waiting TTuTT

To _CaitHawke4Ever_ : I agree. It's about time for quite a lot of things to happen between these two~

To _Gally619_ , _darkgenius2003,_ and anonymous reviewer _Guest:_ Thank you for your kind words! :3

To _Nollypoo_ : Yeah, Mai's so cutie! She's so out of steam she wants to have nothing to do with Naru anymore and to just study in peace. But people don't always get what they want, do they?

To _MikazukiNika:_ Wow, thanks for your wonderful review! My heart is full of feels right now, but I couldn't seem to produce a better reply than a 'thank you'. Sorry for that and thank you so much for your support. :)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	6. 17 December

**17 December**

Every year, some of Luella's and Martin's friends would visit and keep them company in the week leading to Christmas. As such, when Luella made the announcement over dinner last night, Noll presumed that her 'friends' will consist of their usual yearly guests: Luella's childhood friend, her former protégée, and her and Martin's mutual friends from law school.

But Noll thinks that he must have missed some details regarding this year's Christmas arrangements. He recalls Luella's words last night and corrects himself: he was not informed of an additional guest because she _neglected_ to tell him. So he stands outside his room, unprepared and frozen, watching Mai lug a duffel bag up the stairs.

That familiar feeling returns instantly, and he realizes that two weeks of reprieve caused him to let his guard down under a false sense of security. What a fool he is. Of course she would be here. Back when they worked together, she never did what he wanted her to do even if it was for her safety. What makes this time any different? No matter how many years pass, trust Mai to instinctively decide on a course of action the exact opposite of his. His grip on his folder tightens.

Mai takes a breath and looks up to find him at the first floor landing. She starts, losing her grip on her bag. She does not even try to catch it when it slides down a few steps. "L-Luella invited me," she says by way of greeting, tone defensive and ready for his retort. Noll instead descends to the ground floor without a glance or a word. Perhaps if he ignores her, she will ignore him, too, and the feeling roiling inside him will stop being a nuisance.

He steps out of the house with a frown. It seems like spending the day in the laboratory after submitting his documents for graduation will be the best option for now. As he makes his way to the college, Mai's warning during his lecture echoes in his mind: _"It's dangerous for a renowned scientist such as you to presume things, sir."_ How right she is.

His frown deepens.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** In my defense, it's still the 17th in some parts of the world. XD Thanks for waiting/reading/faving/following/reviewing!

To _Gally619_ and _CaitHawke4Ever_ : Thanks for your patience! :) Yes, he's very idiotic. I'm... I just wanna cry sometimes.

To _MikazukiNika_ : OMG I'm so glad it had that effect! I was kind of aiming for it, but I wasn't sure if it would work. Yassss~ And thank you always for your support ;u;

To _Glass Dragon's Rose_ : Indeed! A little more Shakespeare and a little less academic papers can go a long way for this guy.

To _daughterXofXdarkness_ : Was Naru too OOC? I'm so sorry! TTnTT

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	7. 18 December

**18 December**

Noll is a man of routine, though it is not because of the discipline it instilled. No; it is because of its convenience: doing the same things every morning means that he could do them automatically while he contemplates on things related to parapsychology. Disrupting his routine would therefore disorient him and undoubtedly start off his day in a terrible mood. But if the alternative is having an unpleasant day rather than just an unpleasant morning, then Noll has no choice but to do it.

So he wakes up one hour early today. It does not turn out as bad as he prepared himself for. Aside from the initial disorientation when he wakes up to the glowing 6:00 AM of his bedside clock, he is able to complete his morning routine of Tu-na, showering, and breakfast and tea without further ado or running into anyone.

By the time the grandfather clock in the living room chimes seven times, Noll is ready to set off for the laboratory. Since Luella wakes up at the same time he normally does, he decides to make a side trip to greet her before leaving.

"Of course I miss you, too!" Mai's voice cuts through the silence just as he enters the kitchen. Beyond the counter she leans against, the water heater is puffing out small wisps of water vapor, and a teacup waits beside it. Mai meanwhile is deep in conversation with someone over her phone. Noll instinctively steps back out, but the movement catches her eye.

"Naru…" She removes the earphone from one ear as she directs her attention at him. "What're you doing here?" she asks but backtracks: "I-I mean, this is your house. Right. But—What?" She turns back to her phone, and he again moves to leave. Immediately. "Naru, wait!" A soft click, and then—

" _Oh my god it's Big Boss! —Ah, I'm sorry, John."_

" _It is all right, Osamu-san. It is so good to see you again, Shibuya-san."_

" _You guys, move over—I can't see the guy. Hey, Naru-bou! It's been a while!"_

" _How about_ you _move over, stupid monk!"_ A yowl. _"Oh, there he is. Handsome as always, Naru."_

" _It has been a while, Naru."_

Noll looks back in surprise. Everyone in his former team, save for Lin and Mai, is noisily waving at him from Mai's phone. He regrets not walking away faster.

" _Oya? Can't he hear us?"_ Bou-san asks.

"Nope, he can hear you. He's just ignoring you—all of us, really," Mai replies tartly.

" _As someone quite well-known in law school myself, I think I understand. After five years of no contact, Shibuya-san has surely forgotten us."_ Yasuhara-san joins in. He has an exaggerated look of mock understanding on his face that irritates Noll. _"Who are_ we _in his grand life, right? We're nothing but slaves who got him all his data while he took a nap in a restaurant by the sea and sipped his tea."_

Bou-san nods. " _Mm. You're right, shounen. When you're a world-renowned scientist or a bar top-notcher, those below your level simply don't exist."_

Noll's eyes widen. "You topped the bar examination, Yasuhara-san?" _Damn it._ He has fallen right into their trap.

" _That's Yasuhara-_ sensei _to you, Shibuya-san,"_ comes the smug reply, followed by a round of laughter. Noll glares at all of them.

"Well then, Yasuhara- _sensei_ , if you will now excuse me—"

" _I won't~ We miss you too much!"_

Noll sighs and leaves anyway.

He disrupts his morning routine only to still encounter Mai. His day starts in the worst way he can imagine.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Please brace yourselves for another chapter very soon (as soon as I finish writing it XD)! I'm delayed enough as it is, but I promise to post a chapter for every day until Christmas. :)

To _Futuristic Typewriter_ and _CaitHawke4Ever_ : We'll see about that~ ;)

To anonymous reviewer _Joys_ : Thanks for your review!

To _daughterXofXdarkness_ : Oh! Sorry for misunderstanding! Sorry as well for the future pain because it will take _quite_ a while for him to realize a thing or two. DX He'll get better in time, though. :D I think.

To _Nollypoo_ : Here you go!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	8. 19 December

**19 December**

A knock on his office door, and Noll's eyes dart in alarm towards the sound. In a building vacated for the holidays, a knock is the last thing he expects to hear. He waits for the door to open; only silence follows. The person on the other side must be polite and considerate enough to quietly ask for his permission to enter. Either the visitor is a vampire or it is Martin.

The time in his laptop is 7:02 PM. _I see._ He prepares himself, fully aware of what his father would want to talk about.

"Come in," he all but sighs.

Sure enough, Martin strides into the room with a small, kind smile. "Noll. It is almost dinnertime. Your mother sent me to get you."

"Go eat without me. I am not hungry." Noll resumes his typing.

"You might as well join us at the table, if only for tea."

"I still have work to do."

"All of SPR's labs closed for the holidays last Friday, did they not? There is _no_ work to do."

"There is _always_ work to do."

No reply comes. From the corner of his eye, Noll can see Martin studying him. Although he feels uneasy under his father's astute gaze, he refuses to give his full attention. He keeps typing on his laptop until Martin's sudden chuckle finally breaks his concentration. Bewildered, Noll looks up at Martin.

"Are you perhaps avoiding someone, Noll?" he asks sagaciously.

"No," Noll manages to answer, but the speed at which he does gives him away. He looks at the bookshelf to Martin's right.

"That is a yes, then," his father concludes with another chuckle.

If it is so obvious, then any response is unnecessary.

"Whatever it is you hold against Ma—that person, can you please suspend it until Christmas passes? Surely that person will have a better holiday if you do."

But Noll does not budge.

His father sighs. "Very well, let us make an agreement. If you come home with me and maintain an amiable disposition until Christmas, we will let this issue go."

"And if I choose not to?" he challenges.

"Then we raise the issue to Luella, and we discuss it as a family."

Noll pinches the bridge of his nose. Martin has just resorted to the foolproof strategy that makes him and Gene capitulate to their parents' requests. Such is a perk of having outstanding lawyers for parents. While he and Gene learned to be great negotiators early into their adoption, they rarely won against Luella or Martin once an open discussion was held. This will be the first family discussion without Gene; Noll hardly thinks any good would come of it should it happen, so he yields to his father this time. Nonetheless, he makes his displeasure known by taking his time to pack up and frowning all throughout their journey home.

Luella's bright smile welcomes them when they arrive. "Martin, Noll! You're just in time. Take your seats, and we'll start dinner shortly." She pats Noll's cheek then reaches for Martin's hand. "You convinced him. Thank you, love."

"Anything for you."

Noll makes a beeline for the dining room. It is already too lively for his liking, but not to the point of being unbearable. He takes his usual seat, which to his relief has been reserved for him. Once he finishes exchanging pleasantries with his parents' guests and settles down for dinner, he notices that Mai sits across from him, beside Luella. It used to be Gene's seat. Luella must have grown very fond of her to let her take it. Or maybe there is simply an insufficient number of seats.

The room quiets down as everyone starts their dinner. Noll tries his soup, a pumpkin soup with a distinct spice. It is quite tasteful.

"How do you like your dinner, Noll?" Luella asks, eyes twinkling as they do when she is excited. The others tune in to their conversation. "Mai made it!"

He turns to Mai. She returns an uncertain gaze.

"—The fact that it was not poisoned surprises me," he answers honestly.

"Well, Luella _did_ say I still have so much to learn. But I'll take that as a compliment." She gives him a cheeky grin. Laughter spreads across the table.

A smile threatens to betray his amusement, and he drinks from his glass to hide it. As he sets the glass back down, he adopts a dry expression. "Do not."

Six days. Noll will bear with this feeling of miscalculation for six more days. After that, he will no longer allow anything to further disturb his life.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** My fingers are tingling with anxiety. I've never published a chapter shortly after writing it. It's nerve-wracking but exciting!

To _Umiron_ : He is, isn't he? XD Thank you for reviewing! I peeked at your profile (if that was ok). I'd like to congratulate you for graduating! Please keep writing; no one starts out great at what they do, but no one ever became great without a lot of practice. You can do it if you believe in yourself. I believe in you! :)

To _Cabbit and the Weasel_ : With Noll's stubbornness and obliviousness, it's gonna take him some time. TTnTT Thanks for reviewing!

To anonymous reviewer _Joys_ : Thank you!

To _CaitHawke4Ever_ : Merry Christmas to you, too! I adore the whole SPR team and their interactions, so I just had to include them all. *u* Naru is of a different opinion, though.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	9. 20 December

**20 December**

Another surprise. The second one in four days. Noll is in a terrible mood, but he cannot show it lest he lose all his research and equipment funding.

"Congratulations on your graduation!"

He forces a stiff smile. "Thank you," he answers, and the celebratory lunch begins.

"Two Bachelor's degrees in Religious Studies and Psychology, a conferred doctorate in Religious Studies, and now a Master's degree in Cognition and Brain Sciences… I've truly hit the jackpot when I decided to invest in SPR and Oliver all those years ago," beams Mr. Pratt, the main sponsor of SPR's Pratt Laboratory as well as its eponym. He is also the one who covered Noll's living expenses while in Japan. In short, he is an important patron whose good graces Noll must remain in.

"Indeed," adds Dr. Hinnells, one of Martin's long-time friends and, in Noll's opinion, one of the best in the field of psychology and parapsychology. "With Cognition and Brain Science now in your arsenal, Oliver, I hope you can continue your research full-time without resorting to brain dissection."

This earns a few chuckles… and a cough. Noll searches for the source and sees Mai choking on her lunch in an attempt to suppress a laugh. He shoots her a glare. She meets it boldly. After drinking water to keep her food and laughter down, she raises her brows at him.

' _Happy?'_ she seems to ask.

Of course he is not; this celebration is a waste of time. Instigated by Madoka, Noll deduces, as she was so pleased with herself after seeing his thunderstruck expression a while ago.

Once everyone starts to disperse into smaller groups in the living room, he retreats to the wall, where he can inconspicuously observe the party. Lin is talking quietly with Martin, Dr. Hinnells, and Dr. Irving in one corner, while Madoka and some of the higher-ups in SPR are gathered near the fireplace. Luella has just started a debate with her friends regarding the country's recent withdrawal from the European Union. Mr. Pratt sits at the mini bar, enthusiastically discussing the recent developments in parapsychology together with fellow sponsors of the laboratory and those who fund Noll's research exclusively. Now that all the guests are preoccupied, he can safely slip out and flee to his room.

"Brain dissection, huh?" Mai stands beside him, proffering a cup of tea. Noll feels the urge to ignore her, but a glance at Martin reminds him that he is being watched. He releases a resigned sigh as he accepts the tea. She takes a sip from her own then continues, "It's a running joke in your lab, too."

"Do I look like I joke around?"

"...I guess not."

"I grew up surrounded by great-minded individuals. I even used to live with a true medium. How can I not be fascinated by how their brains worked?"

"Is that why you took your Master's?"

"I was… urged to take it under SPR's funding."

A wry smile forms on her face. "I can see why."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Even I wouldn't dare die in front of you and give you a chance to dissect my brain."

"I doubt doing that will yield interesting findings."

She huffs indignantly. "Idiot."

"Please do not drag me down to your level."

"It's so saddening to see that your attitude hasn't changed one bit."

"Likewise."

"Hey, what do you mean by that? I exposed you in your lecture last time, didn't I?"

"But you refused to discuss it further with me."

Mai looks away.

Noll shakes his head.

And then silence.

At length, he pushes himself off the wall.

"Where are you going?"

"I can introduce you to Dr. Hinnells if you prefer to consult him."

"What?! No!" Mai reaches for the sleeve of his jacket and tugs at it to keep him in place.

He quirks a brow. "Are you scared?"

"Yes!"

"So you would rather keep your queries to yourself than ask the authors themselves?"

"…" She presses her lips into a thin line. "I'll just wait for the book."

Noll shrugs. "Suit yourself."

But even after letting the matter drop, Mai's grip on his jacket sleeve remains for a long time.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** They've returned to the level of bantering~ Thanks for reading/faving/reviewing/following!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	10. 21 December

**21 December**

"There's something I've always been curious about," Mai blurts out in the middle of breakfast. Noll, together with everyone else, turns towards her and she balks, no doubt regretting her action.

"What is it, dear?" Luella encourages.

"It's just… uh… Martin is 'Professor Davis' because he teaches law and parapsychology, right?"

"That is correct," Martin confirms, peering at her over his newspaper.

"And… N-Noll?" Noll raises his brows at her. She tries again: "I mean Naru—no—Dr. Davis?"

He sighs. "Whichever is fine."

"And Noll is 'Dr. Davis' because of his PhD."

"What of it?"

"I was wondering if Luella has a title, too."

Luella smiles. "Why, of course I do. I'm Mrs. Davis."

Luella's former protégée, Elle, snorts. "'Mrs. Davis'? You're too humble for your own good." She then tells Mai: "She's 'The Indubitable' SCP Davis."

Mai tilts her head. "'The indu… indubi…'?"

"'Indubitable,'" Noll corrects. "Something that or someone who cannot be doubted."

"Then what does 'SCP' mean?"

"You do not know?" he asks almost in contempt.

"I wouldn't ask if I did."

"Now, now, you two. Enough flirting—" Elle interjects.

"We're not!" "We are not." Mai and Noll protest simultaneously.

"—It means Senior Crown Prosecutor," she finishes, disregarding both of their responses.

Noll glares at her and gets a wink in return. Unwilling to deal with her any more than he has, he diverts his attention to his mother, whose cheeks are dusted with pink.

Mai takes a while to process the information. When she finally succeeds, she gasps and looks at Luella with wonder. "Wow, Luella—a Senior Crown Prosecutor!"

Elle nods proudly. "And not just any SCP, either. She's 'The Indubitable'; in all her cases the defendant is found guilty beyond reasonable doubt."

"A-All of them?!"

"One hundred percent. Throughout her whole career."

"That's amazing!"

"You flatter me too much…" Luella almost whispers. Her face is now entirely red.

"They are merely stating facts, Lu," Martin replies with a smile, newspaper discarded to the side.

"I'm not an SCP anymore."

"But you remain a legend in CPS history."

"Noll, not you, too!"

Noll sends a slight smile his mother's way.

"Wait," Mai interrupts, "Aren't you too young to be retired?"

"Well… Raising a pair of twins is much more fun than mountains of paperwork, no?"

Mai chuckles in agreement.

Martin adds: "She managed to prepare Gene and Noll for school in just one year, too."

"Hmm. So they both got so good at studying because of Luella, while they got their interest in parapsychology from you?"

"I did introduce parapsychology to the twins, but I am not so sure they learned the exact same thing from Luella. You see, Noll here inherited all his mother's studying techniques and observation skills. Gene on the other hand was more interested in inheriting her kindness and compassion."

Noll observes his parents, deciding whether to change the subject or let them reminisce the past. Luella has not cried over any mention of his brother for almost a year now. He fears that this conversation will bring her to tears and he will have to watch as helplessly as he did in all the previous instances. He opens his mouth, ready to redirect the flow of the conversation, but—

Mai sighs as she stares at him with regret. He stares back in confusion.

"You had the chance to take a few more notes from Luella and Gene on kindness and compassion, and you didn't? Did you have a hard time keeping up? Did you lose your notebook somewhere along the way?"

He blinks. "Stop saying stupid things."

She turns to his parents while gesturing in his direction. "See? Not enough notes."

Luella breaks into a fit of laughter, and everyone is awed into silence.

Noll remembers the last time she laughed this much. It was when she discovered that he and Gene had switched places so he could skip the school trip. All had been well for the better half of the day, and he had been sure that they would not get found out until Gene came home grinning like an idiot, dragging three whole bags of souvenirs behind him.

It has been nine years since then.

The outburst attracts the other guests. Soon enough, Luella's childhood friend peeks into the dining room with narrowed eyes and a grin. "Are you having fun without us?"

"Oh, Malika," Luella wheezes out. "Is it time to leave?"

"Yes. I reckon our jaunt to the shopping center will be a blast?"

"For sure."

"Then let's go!"

Martin stands and ushers Luella, Mai, and Elle towards the waiting group. "You head out first. Leave the dishes to me and Noll."

Luella hesitates. "Are you sure?"

He smiles at her. "Yes, Lu. No need to worry."

"Okay, then. We'll meet you there."

Once Luella and the guests depart, Noll and Martin proceed to wash the dishes in comfortable silence.

"I could have done this alone," Noll says as they finish drying the plates.

"I know you could." Martin grasps the edge of the counter. "I just needed a moment."

Noll glances sideways at his father but refrains from speaking.

"It was refreshing to finally be able to think of Gene in a happy light. I had worried Luella would weep at Gene's memory this time, but…" Martin takes a slow, deep breath. "She has not laughed like that since he died." He looks at Noll. "Mai is a wonderful young lady, Noll. I hope you know that."

Noll places the last plate in its rack, then folds the towel he dried it with. "I would not have hired her otherwise."

His father rests a hand on his shoulder for a few moments before leaving to join the others.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


	11. 22 December

**22 December**

"Here, Noll."

Noll looks at Madoka, and then at the folded piece of paper in her outstretched hand. Because of her rather long streak of getting him into hard-to-deal situations that catch him off his guard, he does not dare take it. He narrows his eyes at her, demanding further explanation.

She takes the hint. "Errands. Stop by the Grand Arcade for me, please," she elaborates insufficiently.

Every other person in the house would enjoy a stroll in shopping centers. To be exact, he is the only one who found it troublesome, and she knows this for a fact. Yet she still picks him for these errands of hers.

Noll raises his guard to its full extent. "Why should I?"

"Because it's my treat." When he still does not take the note, she slips it into his breast pocket and pats it for good measure.

"You can buy it yourself."

"Sure I can," she concedes, crossing her arms. "But I can't leave the shepherd's pie to you while I do that, can I?"

"So buy it later."

"And deprive your parents' guests of caffeine?"

"We have tea."

"Sometimes people can get tired of being too British."

He releases a breath, half sigh and half huff. Whether her reasoning makes sense or not, Madoka is another person Noll could hardly win against.

"Thank you~" Madoka waves him off. "Have a fun trip!"

As if.

* * *

He unfolds the note once he arrives at the center.

 _4 flat white (primo)_

 _2 hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows (medio)_

 _1 chai latte (medio)_

 _2 Americano (primo)_

 _1 specialty latte (medio)_

 _1 dozen glazed donuts_

 _1 dozen Christmas-themed donuts_

 _5X Langton Close, Wren St., Gray's Inn Rd., London_

Noll reads all the items, then rereads the last one again. What does Madoka want him to do with a London address? A quick search online reveals that it is a student residence hall. Of UCL.

He sighs. For someone so annoyingly straightforward, Madoka sure is being roundabout with her message.

 _A present for Mai, huh?_

While he is secretly grateful for how Mai dispelled the grief that tended to follow his parents' recollection of Gene, Noll thinks that getting her a present himself is not necessary. Surely his mother has long since bought something for her. Besides, he is still of the notion that Mai's animosity has only ceased for the meantime because she is staying at his house. Giving her something now would only force them both to interact more than is strictly required.

It is bad enough that the roiling feeling of miscalculation has returned worse than ever; it now also plagues him even with just the thought of his former part-timer. He would prefer not to aggravate his condition by attempting to figure out what a twenty-two-year-old Mai would want for Christmas.

In any case, finding anything suitable that would not offend her at such a late time is—

Noll stops mid-stride as he passes in front of a store and does a double take. The item that caught his eye is by no means striking; it is not as remarkable as the ones displayed beside it, but it has an elegant simplicity that for him sets it apart. And now that he laid his eyes on it, he finds himself unable to look away.

He stares at it thoughtfully as he weighs his options. One, he could buy it to get this matter and this feeling over with quickly. Two, he could disregard Madoka's message and forget this whole matter altogether, saving effort and money as a result.

If he gets it now and makes a short stop at the Royal Mail delivery office, he would be able to accomplish Madoka's errands in time for brunch. But if he does not, he would only need to make sure Madoka does not find out lest he suffer from her incessant nagging. Whichever option he goes with, he knows that he must decide on it now.

He stares at the item for a few more beats.

And then he enters the store.

* * *

"Did you get everything?" Madoka asks when he gets back. From the knowing look she is giving him, it is clear that she expects some positive sign from him.

As such, Noll shrugs noncommittally as he deposits the drinks and donuts on the dining table. He will not give her the satisfaction of knowing what he did or did not do.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** I'm so sorry for the delay! DX I'd fallen into a mid-fic crisis. I couldn't write anything, and it got to the point where I didn't want to look at—much less open—my writing notebook out of frustration. :( Thanks for your patience.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters. The coffee drinks can be ordered in Costa Coffee. Donuts are from Krispy Kreme. These stores unfortunately did _not_ sponsor this chapter.


	12. 23 December

**23 December**

By the seventh day of her stay, Mai has completely taken over the task of making tea, never failing to serve it at the perfect time. Noll would admit that her eerie timing unsettles him.

This time is no exception.

The sound of tinkling ceramic and the scent of tea causes Noll to look up. Mai is handing him a steaming cup of tea. He has not even noticed that she left to make it. "Your timing is perfect," he says, putting down his book to take it from her. "It scares me."

Mai returns to her seat across from him. "Well, it shouldn't. It's not rocket science."

Her words pique Noll's interest. He waits for her to continue.

"I noticed that you purse your lips before you ask for tea or go make it yourself, so I decided to take it as a cue to make some. It's that simple." She grins at him. Then she leans forward, her grin morphing into a smirk. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were subconsciously thinking of calling me to make you tea."

Noll fights the urge to freeze at her perceptiveness. He slowly sets his teacup down on the living room table, taking that time to regain his composure. Once he does, he mirrors Mai, matching her position and expression. "And if I did not know any better myself, I would think you were paying attention to me more than you should."

Her smug expression slips momentarily, but she recovers and leans back. "I wouldn't say that," she answers lightly, opening the book she has been reading before she left to prepare tea and flipping to the bookmarked page. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but we're always somehow seated across from each other, and I have eyes. Of course I'd pay attention to everything in my field of vision." And with that, she resumes her reading.

"I see." Noll, too, returns to his own reading, and the room lapses into silence. Though he thinks that he won in this banter, he cannot help feeling the opposite.

* * *

Mai's breath catches when Naru levels a smirk at her. She's been so sure she'd thrown him off with her comment. But when he looks at her like that, there's just no chance of winning.

"And if I did not know any better myself, I would think you were paying attention to me more than you should."

She feels her face heat up, but she catches herself. She leans back in an attempt to look nonchalant even as she scrambles for a comeback. Because she _has_ to have the last word here. "I wouldn't say that," she says, voice bordering on breathless. Her hand falls on her book; she opens it to put some semblance of defense against him. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but we're always somehow seated across from each other, and I have eyes. Of course I'd pay attention to everything in my field of vision."

There. _Nice save, me!_

"I see."

Too distracted by her pounding heart, Mai doesn't turn the page for fifteen minutes.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.


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